The Kangaroo Panopticon
Why do I like Park Chan-wook’s Korean film, Oldboy, you ask? Why, the reason I like Oldboy is because I long to punish my enemies. Not only do I want to tit their tat, but also to utterly annihilate their entire existence while ruining everything they love. If they love nothing? Then I want to give them love only to violate it while blossoming. My enemies should not only suffer physically, but should also endure every possible psychological torture procurable. I want my adversaries to be at the peak of their hopes before kicking down their sandcastles. Before you indignantly judge me, you must remember that when I say “I”, you know that it means “we”: for beneath all of our politeness, beneath all of our reservations, linger spiteful, vindictive thoughts. Speak for myself? No, I will speak for all of us.
Elucidating this idea, Russell Roberts, the director of Vancouver, Canada’s Shakespearian Bard on the Beach play, Titus Andronicus, defends the choice of using gratuitous fake blood instead of “arty-farty” red ribbons:
“We’re very inhuman, we human beings. I mean, look what’s happening in Afghanistan, in Baghdad, in Somalia. It has happened since day one. This is no more violent or horrible than what’s going on around the globe right now. Titus has been catalogued as a problem play, but I think that the problem—if there’s a problem—is that we don’t like to have that mirror put up to us.”
We are God, and God is Dead: The Deaths and Resurrections of the comedic genius, Kim Jong-il
؟ ؟ ؟
God’s Ministry of Comedy
The Juche-bag Kim Jong has died. We saw it coming: he’s been Il for a long time.
And so it goes.
Although we +1, ✓Like, and resend these mostly annoying, crude jokes while participating in the cheap giggles, we cannot think of dystopia without also thinking of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. We sit at our computers connected from all around the world laughing at people who still don’t have the voice to defend themselves. We taunt their country, their leaders, their idols, and their Gods. Do we laugh because we are malicious? Yes, sometimes. There is, however, something deeper than mere vindictiveness. We know the North Korean situation is bad—unimaginably, unbearably beyond bad. Surely, it is not malignity, but rather sympathy that keeps us laughing for the very fact that their situation is so horrible. What do many of us do? We laugh because of the desperate, juxtaposed extremes. The situation is so dark, and we are so helpless to do anything meaningful, that all we can do is laugh. Laughter: our last link to sanity.
The Candy Vaccine: Prejudice and Generosity in South Korea
Written by Knigel Holmes
(Isaac Asimov)
After watching a video of a foreigner assaulting a Korean grandfather, a Young Korean man spits on an uninvolved Canadian subway passenger. The incident shakes the white Canadian who does not usually have to experience direct hostile racism. Later, a Korean grandmother's kindness reminds the Canadian not form his own prejudice.
I did not know what I knew, yet glancing up at his eyes—I knew. Locking eyes with mine, the young Korean gentleman exiting the subway car—jaw violently shaking—spat on me. His mouthful of lukewarm water drenched my leg. Deserving the diminutive, this kid appeared, if not acted, twenty or twenty-one; an age too close, yet still too far from rationality. Youth suffer their impulses. Still, by spitting on me, the boy demanded satisfaction.
Undoubtedly, few misunderstand the contempt and disgust behind the gesture. Expressions of disgust cross language barriers; we need no white glove formalities. Few insults slight worse than spitting at another; therefore, one would have to do something deserving of such vengeance. This kind of pre-emptive aggression could not be without a logical explanation.
Explaining logically, however, proved difficult with Korean medication making my brain kvetch against any thought except getting home, yet I did find myself off the train asking this kid, in monosyllabic, butchered Korean, why he would use me for a spittoon. Too busy wrestling my cough away from infecting other passengers, I had not unintentionally given the stink eye. The unexpected expectoration remained inexplicable.
Confessions of a Vegan Meat-Eater
Written by Knigel Holmes
Twice have I been unable to defend my arguments for consuming meat. While I resisted at first, in the end, my opponents persuaded me into vegetarianism. They countered my points showing me how I either contradicted myself or used flippant comments to deflect. No single argument convinced me into abstaining from animal products; vegetarianism is a lifestyle built from diverse arguments including those of ethics, economics, and health. The arguments supporting vegetarianism are persuasive and rational; however, I will explain why, after being a vegetarian for so long, I not only murder and eat animals, but that my ethical choice withstands vegetarian righteousness and encourages me to eat less conventional animals—such as insects, octopuses, and dogs.
My first experiment with vegetarianism taught me esoteric knowledge giving me insight beyond the ignorant mainstream. My natural distrust for government and business helped me grasp vegetarian concepts and then apply them to my new worldview. Having researched in depth—not necessary before as an omnivore—I saw my choice as undoubtedly superior. Convinced meat-eaters either wilfully ignorant or lazy, I waited patiently—like a carnivorous plant—to entrap my prey. Ordering vegetarian dishes was enough to lure victims into engaging me in debate. I mauled; then digested the encounters—each giving me ferocity for future confrontations.
This first bout with vegetarianism lasted two years ending for the sake of living in Cuba. With The United States continuing an illegal economic embargo punishing the Cuban population, the Cuban government rations food so that no one starves; unfortunately, this does not ease the dearth of resources. A vegetarian diet was impractical—if not impossible—while living in the small Holguín barrio. Moreover, my Cuban host father, Manuel, challenged my animal rights ideology. Through ongoing dialogue, I realised that much of my vegetarian philosophy derived from first world luxuries that could not satisfactory compete with strife from those who endured the economic hardships during “the special period”. Cubans struggled for basic nutrition, and I implied that they were immoral for doing so. Despite my ethnocentricity, I kept my vegetarian philosophy. Instead of accepting meat consumption as moral, my discordance between belief and behaviour left me in cognitive dissonance.
A Gentleman’s Modest Douchebag Guide
Written by: Knigel Holmes
Obsession with cleanliness leaves us fearful of nauseating those around us because we worry about getting so used to our own selves that we remain oblivious to our own foulness. Those around us, in turn, exacerbate this problem by not wanting to break etiquette and, instead, edge away while jettisoning polite excuses. The unfortunate lack of feedback leaves people wondering when they too will be unknowing offenders stewing in their own mess. As an outcome of this self-consciousness, and so many people seeking ways to cover up their inadequacies, douchebags gain popularity. Despite dangers, this guide describes several douchebag techniques. Remember, these methods are at best unnecessary while potentially causing serious harm.
Before going on, we will first need to learn about douchebags. While intending to combat unpleasantness, these invasive, difficult-to-puncture, rubbery nuisances are relatively clean on the outside, yet sullied internally; therefore, douchebags tend to aggravate, irritate, and inflame instead of calm the symptoms. Similarly, improper handling causes embarrassing messes. For this reason, keep douchebags away from polite company. Most people, after interacting with douchebags, want to wash and disinfect themselves thoroughly. Additionally, while douchebags may not be foolproof measures against pregnancy, they do significantly reduce the chances of procreation. Now that we understand the concept of a douchebag, we simply need to keep the previous details in mind as we proceed.
All Blade, No Handle: A Survey of Asian and Western Victim Blaming Acculturation
How would you attribute blame in these research questions? If you had to distribute a total score of 100% between the characters, how would you split it? Do you think that males and females would distribute the total score differently?
1. Jiyoung is at her first membership training. While at the party, her seniors pressure her into drinking many shots of Soju. She groggily wakes up later in a hotel room with one of her male seniors. The senior is having sex with Jiyoung, but Jiyoung does not say anything.
2. Suji is upset because her boyfriend, Jake, of seven years has to work overtime. She knows that he just bought her an expensive handbag and new earrings, so has to work more to pay off the credit card bills. Suji goes out to the club and then goes to a hotel with a man to have sex. Jake’s friend tells Jake about seeing Suji go into the hotel with the man. The next night, when Jake comes home, he is in a rage. He screams at Suji who admits she had an affair. Finally, Jake slaps Suji one time across the face.
3. Hyemin is at a dinner party with her schoolmates. She has been enjoying her conversation with her senior named Taehoon. They have known each other for over one year. Hyemin tells Taehoon that she is tired and too drunk, so she wants to go home. Taehoon offers to bring her to a nearby motel. Hyemin is worried at first, but Taehoon promises that he will be the perfect gentleman—besides, he says, he is like her older brother. Hyemin goes to the motel with Taehoon; however, while she starts to sleep, Taehoon makes sexual advances. Hyemin says she only wants to sleep and keeps rejecting Taehoon until Taehoon becomes frustrated and angry. Hyemin asks Taehoon why he tricked her into coming to the hotel. Taehoon counters saying Hyemin knew his intention all along and knew what was going to happen. Taehoon reminds Hyemin that he paid for the motel room and then tells Hyemin to stop pretending to be innocent.
Defrocking Pornography: A Peepshow Into Pornography, Erotica, & Freedom
"It's red hot, mate. I hate to think of this sort of book getting in the wrong hands. As soon as I've finished this, I shall recommend they ban it." ~Tony Hancock
Pornography. This unsightly, yet arousing word has an ambiguous nature of which provides legal force to moral judgements or untethers social taboos. This term imprisons or emancipates depending on the momentum of the social pendulum. Joining the fray to define, Britain A. Scott, in ‘Women and Pornography: What We Don’t Know Can Hurt Us’, argues that females should have legal recourse if pornography harms them. To give legal footing, pornography needs a definition that protects females from abuse while not restricting sexual freedom. We should, therefore, disentangle sex from violence while defining pornography so that people have legal recourse if they feel that pornography has harmed them; however, at the same time we must be cautious that we do not degrade our freedom of speech and expression.
Why? You Knew I Was A Snake.
Hyemin is at a dinner party with her schoolmates. She has enjoyed her conversation with her senior named Taehoon. They have known each other for over one year. Hyemin tells Taehoon that she is tired and too drunk, so she wants to go home. Taehoon offers to bring her to a nearby motel. Hyemin is worried at first, but Taehoon promises that he will be the perfect gentleman—besides, he says, he is like her older brother. Hyemin goes to the motel with Taehoon; however, while she starts to sleep, Taehoon makes sexual advances. Hyemin says she only wants to sleep and keeps rejecting Taehoon until Taehoon finally becomes frustrated and angry. Hyemin asks Taehoon why he tricked her into coming to the hotel. Taehoon counters saying Hyemin knew his intention all along and knew what was going to happen. Taehoon reminds Hyemin that he paid for the expensive motel room and then tells Hyemin to stop pretending to be innocent.
Instructions: split the total value of 100% between Hyemin and Taehoon for their part of the responsibility in causing the conflict e.g., “X”=70% and “Y”=30% or “X”=50% and “Y”=50%.
After, please explain your answer. Why did you assign the percentages in that way?
After answering, read the next quote and watch the scene:
Once upon a time, a woman was picking up firewood. She came upon a poisonous snake frozen in the snow. She took the snake home and nursed it back to health. One day the snake bit her on the cheek. As she lay dying, she asked the snake, "Why have you done this to me?" And the snake answered, "Look, [woman], you knew I was a snake." Natural Born Killers
Animal Abuser, Catsaw, Kills Cats Claiming Animal Advocacy.
WARNING!!! -- VERY GRAPHIC AND DISTURBING MATERIAL!!!
(Graphic pictures of animal abuse and letters of the abuser at the bottom of the post)
My Korean friend has filled me in on some recent disturbing news. Apparently, a Korean gentleman under the pseudonym, Catsaw, has been inspired by the gore flick, SAW. From what my friend says, Catsaw has been torturing cats and spreading riddles to netizens from Internet cafés.
I have not seen any of it in English yet; therefore, I believe that this news is worth mentioning. Before continuing, I understand that some people crave attention by breaking social taboos. This is a difficult matter when voluntarily spreading information that helps them in their cause. At the same time, I do not see that as a valid cause for self-censorship. While writing about someone's misdeeds may give them the very attention that they desire, the information may prove useful for other purposes. I hope that through debate, Catsaw and people with similar ideas can understand the mistakes of their reasoning. Through logical discourse, people may realise that what seemed like an intelligent and rational idea at first was not a worthwhile thought to put into action. Logic reveals irrational justifications for malformed deeds.
Underneath the images, Catsaw, the suspected animal abuser has written riddles in a similar format as Jigsaw from the movie series SAW. The riddles threaten that if people do not follow the requests of the letter, Catsaw will kill the feline hostages. Catsaw sets the stage by mentioning how people buy cats and then throw them away when the cat becomes boring.
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- The Kangaroo Panopticon
- Please, I Want to Go to Prison
- Oldboy for Little Girls and Little Boys
- On Pico Iyer’s ‘Where Worlds Collide’
- We are God, and God is Dead: The Deaths and Resurrections of the comedic genius, Kim Jong-il
- The Many Names: A South Korean Folktale
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